@ErieStreet4Life, unfortunately, yes. It has happened and will continue to happen:

LGBT pride flag set on fire outside Jersey City salon

The city's 16th annual LGBT pride festival occurs later this month, but not everyone may be feeling love toward the gay community.

Someone appears to have set fire to a rainbow-colored pride flag that the owner of Montgomery Street salon The Hair Room has had hanging from a flower box outside her front door since the place opened in late June.

Salon owner Anatalie David told The Jersey Journal this morning she was away last weekend and found the burned flag upon her return yesterday. David said she hopes the flag was set ablaze as the result of a personal grudge or as a prank and not as an act of hatred toward the LGBT community.

She said when she first saw the burned remnants of the flag yesterday morning, "My heart sank, and I felt sick to my stomach."

David posted a picture of the charred flag on Instagram yesterday, adding, "Whoever did this I hope you find the peace in your heart you are so clearly missing."

Police and fire investigators are reviewing security footage from neighboring buildings taken during the weekend, when the apparent act of arson is believed to have occurred, according to city spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill.

The incident comes about a month before the 16th annual LGBT pride festival, an all-day street fair scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 27 at Newark Avenue and Grove Street.

City officials believe Jersey City has the state's largest LGBT community. Human Rights Campaign has for three years in a row ranked Jersey City the No. 1 city in New Jersey for LGBT-inclusive laws and policies.

"We are saddened to see this kind of hate in our community, which we know is not representative of Jersey City," Morrill said. "Our police are actively working to identify the person or persons who committed this crime and will hold them fully accountable under the law."

David said the flag came into her possession in a mysterious way: she found it on the salon's front stoop on June 14 — Flag Day and also the day thousands gathered on Newark Avenue to honor the victims of the June 12 massacre at Orlando gay nightclub Pulse that left 49 dead.

She calls the flag appearing at her salon that day "a cosmic sign.

"It found me," she said.

David said she's in contact with a local LGBT group to paint the front of her salon. She wants to turn the exterior into an even larger tribute to the gay community, as a message to the person who destroyed her pride flag.

To say I'm not happy about this is an understatement, there is nothing worse than JC becoming Hoboken Jr. We don't need drunk meat heads roaming our streets burning Pride flags at 3am. Keep that BS in Hoboken where it belongs.

I'm not jazzed about Acme at all. At least the Pathmark on Grand will be an Asian supermarket:

"99 Ranch will be coming to the Pathmark location on Grand Street. 99 Ranch is a California based Asian supermarket chain. Tawa Inc. (99 Ranch's parent company) won the bid on the property last month."

Shoprite isn't going away, it's just moving into one of the new towers that are going up in that Pep Boys development area. There will also be a new Shoprite in one of the new JSQ towers. I'll take Shoprite over A&P/Pathmark/Acme any day. A Wegman's would be the jackpot.

My sister is looking into buying a one family house on Highland Avenue and Kennedy Blvd (near St. Peter's college). It's a 10-min walk down Kennedy Blvd. to Journal Square.

The neighborhood will be completely different in no time, if I'm guessing correctly you're referring to the mid-century mod home on Highland? The open houses were mobbed both days, there's a bidding war over the house at this point!

I was wondering why there weren't more food options? Is that really due to Two Boots and they're complaining? I'm getting a really bad vibe about them, I hate to say that. I want to support local business but not at the expense of others?

SRhia wrote:Are people already moving into Charles & Co by City Hall - I saw some moving trucks over the weekend.

Does anyone know how well/fast the rentals are going?

I think move in's for Charles & Co began about two weeks ago, they had a welcome party for tenants on the rooftop on Aug 4. Seems like rentals are going well, they only had about 10-12 apartments available at that time.

She was replaced because she's not that great at her job? And she was never part of the Fulop team, she was a holdover from the Healy days and what passed muster then doesn't cut it now. Not sure why this is so surprising, it was inevitable. And I'm honestly surprised she lasted this long?

bodhipooh wrote:Please tell me you see the irony in wanting to address aggressive behavior by engaging and/or threatening more aggressive behavior.

Really? I just witnessed a horrific accident and you're going to call me out on feeling frustrated at the time? It's not every day that I roll up on a situation of this kind, excuse me if I didn't choose my words/feelings correctly as I tried to process the entire thing--clearly I wasn't going to punch anyone, I was too busy calling 911. Geez.

@eighthst, so glad to hear that. what a scary sight. the worst part: as we pulled over to call 911 and there were obviously two seriously injured people laying in the road, the cars behind us were honking for everyone to get out of the way so they could continue their journey to the turnpike ramp. i wanted to punch someone.

I was driving up Columbus towards Coles when I saw 2 people laying lifeless in the street. There was a motorcycle on it's side a bit aways from them and some cars were stopped as well. Neither person was moving, I called 911. Please keep them in your thoughts :(

@jcrules, they're not doing anything illegal. they're allowed to bike through. there were tons of meetings regarding the plaza, the rules were put in place after a lot of input from the community. so, i agree that they should be careful and riding slowly through the plaza but they are indeed allowed to do so per the city of jersey city.

"this sounds like they're getting forced out, but aren't they closing because they can make so much more money by renting the building - that they own - to somebody else?"

that's how i understood it so that statement is confusing to me? how can they be forced out when they own the building? they obviously made a decision to close because they felt they could make more money renting to white star but since they're the owners, they're forcing themselves out? wacky

Shell gas station on 12th Street between Erie and Manila: they're doing some sort of repairs to their gas tanks, something to do with it being state mandated repairs. Don't know the entire story but that's what's happening.

I'm also curious what's happening on the lot at 13th & Jersey, has anyone heard anything? They're pile driving and moving along quickly but I can't find info on what it's going to be?

They are opening, just delayed. I did a quick walk thru recently and the build out for Madame Claude and the other restaurant (name TBD) was looking good. Main room of venue looked amazing, looking forward to having them in JC!

stopped by friday and had a great lunch with friends: shared the meat & cheese platter + a few antipasti, etc. had a great dinner this evening with the husband: shared the scallop crudo + the rib eye. both delicious! great addition to the neighborhood, will be returning soon!

Does anyone know anything about a mugging near the skate park? Saw the following info (below) on a JC Facebook page but can't find any info about it anywhere else?

"A resident was mugged at gun point last night while walking his small dog near the skating rink at Enos Jones Park. Brunswick betw 8th-Pavonia. They do not want their name revealed. Happened at about 8-8:30 PM. Victim is ok. Reports 3 young males wearing ski masks. Please be careful out there and report any suspicious behavior to police dispatch at 201-547-5477. If emergency call 911"

Re: 270 Tenth and 310 Tenth. I've been wondering what would be happening with that area for quite a while, thanks for the update. It does irk me that Lefrak continues to build and is never made to provide access to the waterfront/Newport PATH for residents from 6th to the Holland Tunnel? It's absolutely ridiculous that this enormous wasteland of parking lot blocks access for that many blocks to the rest of downtown JC? I know, I know, I can walk to 6th. I can cut through the parking lot. I get it but neither are amazing options? Cutting through a parking lot late at night? Or trying to make my way up 6th from Erie to Washington--I may as well try to cross safely during a Nascar race, I'd have a better shot of surviving. LeFrak should not have the right to block off that much access.